


Carnival Show

by copperbadge



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Episode Related, Gen, Screenplay/Script Format, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-03-19
Updated: 2008-03-19
Packaged: 2017-12-13 21:04:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/828871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/copperbadge/pseuds/copperbadge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something has gone horribly wrong at the Electro Cinema. As it falls through time, the team must find a way to escape without Jack's help -- or at any rate, without <i>their</i> Jack's help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Carnival Show

**Author's Note:**

> While I by no means disliked "From Out Of the Rain", I thought it was -- not what I wanted. Not as much as I wanted, anyway. It felt like there could have been so much more to it. I'm not in the habit of thinking this, but when I finished watching it I sat back and thought, you know, I really could write a better episode than that. So...I tried.
> 
> You can blame Amanuensis1 on LJ, who taunted me into putting my money where my mouth is.

OPENING MONTAGE.

_(Torchwood: Outside the government, beyond the police. Good at walking dramatically in straight lines, nearly getting eaten by cannibals, opening rifts in space and time, et cetera. Otherwise, a bit crap.)_

EXT - NIGHT - 1920s - TRAVELING SHOW

A clearing in a field, decorated with gaudy tents and painted signs and banners. In the background: chatter, laughter, and hurdy-gurdy music. A traveling show is in town and drawing a crowd. 

A handbill flutters across the ground and comes to rest at the makeshift gateway to the traveling show. In antique lettering it advertises THE NIGHT TRAVELERS, one night only. 

A BOY picks up the handbill, studies it, and then takes off running for a tent at the back of the showgrounds. 

INT - DRESSING TENT

The interior of the tent is filled with circus performers preparing to go on: a strongman, a juggler, a pair of acrobats, a contortionist, a girl grooming a performing pony, etc. The BOY runs from one person to the next, spreading the word that the Night Travelers are coming. 

He approaches a MAN at the far end of the tent. The MAN is seen only from the chest-down, dressed in a khaki uniform. A pistol and Indian saber are secured in his belt. 

BOY  
Sir?

MAN  
[noncommittal]  
H'm.

BOY  
You said to tell you if we heard anything about the Night Travelers.

In the mirror, the MAN's lower face is reflected; strong jawline, clean-shaven cheeks. He turns sharply. The BOY holds out the handbill. The MAN takes it. 

MAN  
[American accent]  
Good work. Run along.

The BOY runs away and the MAN looks up, directly into the mirror. We see JACK HARKNESS reflected; his hair is different, and this is obviously not the Jack Harkness of 2008. He chuckles a little, as if excited, and turns to go. 

**Opening Credits.**

INT - NIGHT - THE HUB

All seems relatively quiet in the HUB; TOSH is working on something at her desk, OWEN is snapping his gloves off as he emerges from the medical bay, GWEN is reading a magazine, JACK is working on some piece of alien tech. 

IANTO makes the rounds with a tray of coffee. OWEN, no longer able to enjoy coffee, watches a trifle forlornly as IANTO passes out the coffee to JACK and TOSH. He bends to offer GWEN a cup, and she smiles at him. 

GWEN  
Thanks, Ianto.  
[he smiles at her]  
You're looking nice today. Working our way through the colour spectrum?

IANTO looks down at his suit -- rather louder pinstripes than usual, and a deep red shirt. He senses there is something behind GWEN's remark, and looks at her patiently. She produces a fedora. 

GWEN  
[cheesy American gangster accent]  
And is this yours, eh?

JACK and TOSH both look up; IANTO takes the hat and calmly sets it on his tray.

JACK  
That's a hell of a hat, Ianto.

OWEN  
God, another one falls. Next you know Tosh'll be going period-sixties. 

IANTO  
It's for tonight. 

JACK  
[a hint of a leer]  
What's tonight?

IANTO  
I'm going out. 

GWEN raises her eyebrows at OWEN. JACK is suddenly all attention. 

GWEN  
Hot date?

OWEN snorts.

IANTO  
You could say. 

TOSH  
Ianto!

IANTO  
She's eighty years old -- 

OWEN  
Oh god -- 

IANTO  
\-- and seats a hundred and twenty.  
[he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a brochure]  
The Electro Cinema. 

GWEN pages through the brochure. 

GWEN  
Classic films for cinema connoisseurs, every Thursday and Saturday night. 

IANTO  
[continuing on his duties, picking up mugs and various bits of litter]  
My dad used to take me there on Saturday mornings. They showed kids' films. I've got a mate who digs up old films now and shows them, he's just found a new one.

He seems to sense something is amiss, and turns back to them. They're all looking slightly incredulous.

OWEN  
Since when are we allowed to have mates outside of Torchwood? Did I miss that memo?

IANTO  
I only _grew up_ in Cardiff. I do manage to speak to people who don't wear black, sometimes.

They take a moment. Each of them but JACK is wearing at least one article of dark to black clothing. JACK looks highly amused. 

GWEN  
It's against regulations.

OWEN  
We'll have to sedate him for his own good.

IANTO  
[ignoring them; calling back as he wanders]  
The film is called The Carnival Show. It's very hard to find, he only has a copy on reel-to-reel. Supposedly, it's been known to drive people mad. 

OWEN  
Oh, what _ever_. 

IANTO  
Stranger things have happened.

OWEN  
It's all talk put out by marketing firms to make you see their film. The fact that they're old doesn't make them any more honest.

IANTO  
Black and white film has a quality about it. Makes it all a bit eerier. 

OWEN  
Bollocks.

IANTO is passing by OWEN, and he pauses. 

IANTO  
Right, then. Care to make it interesting?  
[OWEN rolls his eyes]  
Come along. Bet you a tenner you're scared out of your mind.

OWEN  
It's taking your money.

In the background, GWEN is answering her mobile. JACK is watching OWEN and IANTO intently. 

IANTO  
It's _your_ dignity.

OWEN  
Right, you're on. Tosh!

TOSH  
Yes?

OWEN  
You're coming along as witness, so when I fall asleep halfway through this absurd exercise Ianto can't lie about it later.

GWEN  
Can I come?  
[holds up her phone]  
Rhys just called, he's out with Dav tonight. 

OWEN  
Jack, going to make it a full house?

JACK sits back in his chair, shaking his head.

JACK  
Conference call with China. You want money for popcorn?

GWEN  
You'd need to take out a loan.

JACK  
I remember when it was a nickel to go to the cinema.

OWEN  
And the popcorn was free and -- 

JACK  
\-- tasted better, too. Point taken. Have fun, kids.

The team quickly gathers up their things, and IANTO doffs his fedora to JACK as they leave. JACK grins and goes back to what he was doing. 

EXT - STREET - CARDIFF

Outside the ELECTRO as the team approach it. It is raining; IANTO is very sensibly keeping his head dry under his fedora, while the rest of the team are getting soaked. They look up at the sky and the camera follows them up; when it pans back down....

EXT - NIGHT - 1920s - TRAVELING SHOW

...it shows JACK's traveling show, the performance in full swing. It is not yet raining, there. 

EXT - BACKSTAGE

Just behind the main show stage, JACK is working on his wrist-strap. He appears to be trying to track someone or something. He starts as a bolt of lightning rips the sky, distantly. His RINGMASTER passes.

RINGMASTER  
All right, Tom?

JACK  
[charming]  
Have you ever known me to get stage fright?

EXT - BACKSTAGE - CAMERMAN POV

As JACK and the RINGMASTER talk, a young MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA is recording them, beaming with delight at his new toy. They can be heard, distantly: 

RINGMASTER  
[tilting his head at the sky]  
Storm makes everyone nervous.

JACK  
Think it'll be here before we finish?

RINGMASTER  
Hope not. 

EXT - BACKSTAGE 

RINGMASTER  
Check your pistol, you're on in ten.

JACK  
[calling absently after him as he returns to his wrist-strap]  
Thank you, ten.

There is another flash, much closer, but less like lightning; JACK looks up to see a shadowy figure standing nearby. He steps forward, investigating. 

JACK  
Hello?

The man starts and turns around. It is IANTO, in the clothes he was wearing at the cinema. 

JACK  
[grinning]  
Hel _lo_. 

A second flash and we return to:

INT - ELECTRO - 2008

IANTO, completely unaware that anything is wrong, is shaking water off his hat as he purchases four tickets. GWEN is browsing the informational brochures; TOSH is checking her email on a hand-held. OWEN studies a poster for THE CARNIVAL SHOW. 

OWEN  
Do you really think this thing's going to drive anyone mad? 

IANTO  
Depends on how much information you have, I suppose.

OWEN  
What's that supposed to mean?

IANTO is already disappearing into the theatre. TOSH follows, and GWEN pulls OWEN along after him. 

INT - THEATRE

The theatre is old, well-appointed, obviously lovingly-restored although the seats are slightly shabby. They sit on an aisle -- IANTO on the aisle, then GWEN, OWEN, and TOSH. TOSH has a box of candy and is busy opening it while GWEN reads from a rather sad photocopied brochure, obviously hand-produced. 

GWEN  
"The Carnival Show" is one of the earliest dramas of its period which may be said to be filmed 'on location'. It was assembled as a silent film -- 

OWEN  
 _Silent_ film?

GWEN  
\-- from documentary footage taken at real carnival touring shows across the UK. It's all real! Creepy. 

IANTO  
It _always_ depends on what information you have. 

OWEN  
[accusingly, to IANTO]  
SILENT film?

TOSH  
Imagine, wandering round all those old carnivals with those big clunky film cameras. It's a miracle they got anything at all.

OWEN  
Yeah, they got a shit silent film out of it.

IANTO  
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

GWEN  
What's that then?

IANTO  
[clearly at least halfway to his own little world]  
It was a German silent film. Nobody's ever done a horror film like it. Nobody does really scary films anymore. That one was set in a carnival too, sort of. 

TOSH  
Maybe this is like a UK version. 

OWEN  
[sullen]  
Cinema killed the old touring shows, anyhow. And vaudeville. Cheaper to make, cheaper to go to, and nobody ever got sick or needed an understudy. And then telly killed the cinema, and now the internet's going to kill television. 

ALL look at him. 

OWEN  
I have a lot of time on my hands. There are only so many quiz show reruns you can watch before something sinks in.

The lights drop. Tape-recorded music begins to play. OWEN leans back in his seat, clearly annoyed at being tricked into this. 

Onscreen, the title: THE CARNIVAL SHOW. The opening credits are too blurred to be read. As scenes of a circus show (JACK's circus show) play out on the screen, we see: IANTO is already totally fascinated, TOSH is digging for a chocolate in the bottom of the box, and GWEN is trying to find somewhere to stash the brochure she has. 

Music continues to play; OWEN nudges GWEN, pointing to the STRONG MAN on screen.

OWEN  
Look at the state of him.

GWEN  
But I just love his leotard.

IANTO shushes them. GWEN rolls her eyes.

INT - CINEMA - WIDE

Across the theatre, we see light flickering on the faces of all the audience members. One by one they seem to blank out; people stop eating popcorn, stop moving or blinking. 

INT - CINEMA - FOCUS ON TEAM

GWEN and OWEN burst into laughter over something onscreen.

IANTO  
Will you please be quiet.

GWEN and OWEN subside. Next to them, TOSH is already enthralled.

INT - CINEMA - WIDE

Focus on a few utterly blank, dazed looking faces in the audience. The music grows more sinister. 

SPECIAL - CINEMA - SCREEN

Footage on the screen shows a girl doing trick-stunts on a circus pony, then cuts to footage of a performer in front of a banner reading THE MAN WHO CANNOT DIE. It is JACK, demonstrating how he could shoot himself with a pistol or slit his throat with the saber (not actually doing either). 

INT - CINEMA - FOCUS ON TEAM

IANTO starts, as if being woken; next to him OWEN, GWEN, and TOSH are all staring mindlessly at the screen. 

IANTO  
Jack!

Nobody responds. IANTO shakes OWEN, then gets out of his chair. 

IANTO  
[whispering]  
TOSH! TOSH!

TOSH shakes herself and looks up at him. He points at the screen and she gasps; JACK is very theatrically setting up a shooting match between himself, with a wooden mock-pistol, and an audience member with a real one. 

TOSH  
That's Jack! Owen! Gwen -- 

IANTO, frustrated with their lack of response, looks around. 

IANTO  
Tosh...

They realise: everyone is enslaved to the film. 

IANTO puts his hand over OWEN's eyes. Immediately OWEN bats him away and looks up at him, annoyed. 

OWEN  
What the bloody hell -- 

He breaks off as he looks around and realises there's something wrong. TOSH is doing the same for GWEN.

TOSH  
The film's doing something. 

IANTO  
["duh"]  
Oh, d'you think?  
[starting to panic slightly]  
What do we do?

OWEN grabs his sleeve. IANTO looks up at the film and sees GWEN standing, talking to JACK. As they watch, disbelieving, IANTO runs into the screen and hugs GWEN in greeting.

OWEN  
Oh we are turning this film off _right now._

OWEN storms up the centre aisle, followed by the others; as they pass the USHERS, standing in the back, they notice that the USHERS are entranced as well. 

INT - CINEMA - LOBBY

They make it all the way to the stairwell to the projection booth before everything goes black. Not just dark; BLACK. The sound ceases, as do the flickering lights from the theatre. After a second of rustling, a little light is seen -- IANTO and GWEN both have small torches lit, and are playing them over the walls. 

GWEN  
Power outage?

IANTO  
[as dry as possible]  
Well. The film stopped. 

GWEN walks back to the theatre entry, where she plays the flashlight over the audience, who are slowly getting to their feet and looking confusedly at one another.

GWEN  
[stepping into PC Cooper mode]  
No need to panic, ladies and gentlemen, just a bit of a power outage. If you could all step into the lobby, slowly -- anyone have a torch? Light them up, give us a bit more light, that's it...

GWEN continues herding people in the background as the others huddle around IANTO's torch.

IANTO  
Must have tripped a circuit. Breaker box'll be in the basement.

OWEN has taken out his mobile, but is getting dead air. TOSH takes hers out and finds the same. 

OWEN  
See if I can't find a phone -- 

He reaches for the door, but opens it onto complete blackness. It's as if there is a solid wall of black outside the cinema, all around it, pressing in on every window. IANTO shines his flashlight onto it; the light is swallowed up in the dark. 

OWEN  
You and your _bloody cinemas_ , Ianto.

IANTO  
[putting his comm into his ear]  
Jack? Jack?

TOSH  
Telecom's down. Everything's down. It's like the satellites just...dropped out of the sky. 

The audience is now crowding around the half-open door while GWEN tries to hold them back. They are beginning to freak out.

AUDENCE MEMBER 1  
It's some kind of trick. Has to be.

GWEN  
Listen, you can't go out there. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER 2  
It's just a power outage.

GWEN  
And it's not safe to be wandering dark streets.

AUDIENCE MEMBER 3  
Where are the stars?

They all look long and hard. No stars. No moon. 

GWEN  
If you'll just keep calm -- 

AUDIENCE MEMBER 1  
Listen, I'm not going to stay in some dark, stuffy little cinema -- 

He pushes past GWEN, who tries to grab him, and eludes her as he walks through the door into the blackness. There is a howling scream, then utter silence. 

OWEN reaches around GWEN and closes the door. 

GWEN  
Right, that's it. Everyone stay in the lobby. I'm PC Gwen Cooper, I'm with Torchwood special ops. This is obviously a bit...strange, but we'll sort things out. Please stay where you are...

IANTO  
I'll go see if I can get the power back on. If we're even on the grid anymore. Tosh, can you get anything up and running?

TOSH  
I could probably link up two comms directly. We'd be able to talk to...each other.

OWEN  
What, like we're doing now?

TOSH  
It's better than nothing.

She holds out her hand; IANTO and OWEN both drop their comms into her palm. She drags OWEN to one side and presses a torch into his hand, making him hold it for her while she works. 

GWEN  
[in the background]  
Try and locate as many light switches as you can and shut them off. When the power comes back on we don't want to blow it out again straightaway, do we?

IANTO, obviously deeply uncomfortable, squares his shoulders and shines his flashlight along a long hallway. There are stairs at the far end. 

INT - HALLWAY

IANTO edges his way down the hall. It is deep dark, and spooky, and his torch is not much help. Halfway down he pauses as if startled by something, then takes a deep breath, one more step -- 

EXT - NIGHT - 1920s - JACK'S TOURING SHOW

IANTO emerges into a dark field. He stops, shocked. From behind him, a voice.

JACK O.S.  
Hello?

IANTO turns to see JACK, in his khaki uniform, pistol held loosely. IANTO gawps.

JACK  
Hel _lo._

IANTO tries to move, stumbles slightly to the side and -- 

INT - CINEMA HALLWAY - NIGHT

\-- fetches up against the hallway wall. He leans against it for a moment, terrified. Once he's caught his breath he steps away from the wall, edges forward, and then breaks into a run. 

INT - CINEMA - BASEMENT

IANTO emerges from the stairwell into the basement and is immediately startled by a cardboard stand-up monster, an ad for a previous film. He draws his gun without thinking, then laughs almost hysterically and brushes it aside. He does not re-holster his gun, however, as he inspects the basement for the circuit box.

INT - CINEMA - LOBBY

OWEN is monologuing while TOSH works on the comms.

OWEN  
This is what living in Cardiff gets you. Here I am. Dead. Still wandering round. I work in a secret base with a _pterodactyl_ , a man who can't die, another man who shagged a robot, a woman who shagged an alien -- no offence, Tosh -- and Gwen bloody Cooper, the world's original teddy bear, who wants to play bring-your-boyfriend-to-work. All I want to do is go out for a night with my friends, but do I get to? No. I get evil hypnotic cinema and power outages.

TOSH  
We're your friends?

OWEN  
Course you are. 

TOSH  
You don't act like it. 

TOSH pushes something, and sparks fly out of the comm momentarily.

OWEN  
I'm here, aren't I? Crouching in a dark corner holding a torch, waiting for Ianto to -- 

The lights come up. OWEN heaves a badly-concealed sigh of relief, which is echoed by much of the audience.

TOSH  
Good old Ianto. 

INT - CINEMA - BASEMENT

IANTO, his hands in the fusebox, looks around him as dim lights come up in the basement. It is filled with old movie debris. On the wall next to him is an elderly telephone, apparently for maintenance. 

It rings.

IANTO picks it up, looking relieved. 

IANTO  
Tosh? Is that you? Where'd you find the numb -- 

He stops. Coming over the telephone is distorted, staticky noise.

IANTO  
Tosh, you're not coming through clearly.

He listens to the static, hard, and all of a sudden the static is gone and the noise snaps into clarity: it is hurdy-gurdy music, over the sound of laughter. IANTO throws the receiver back on its hook, startled. 

INT - CINEMA - LOBBY

GWEN is trying to get people grouped, when she encounters a LITTLE GIRL. 

GWEN  
Hallo, what's your name?

The LITTLE GIRL looks up at her, opens her mouth, and vanishes.

GWEN stares at the spot where she was, then looks up and all around. Nobody seems to have noticed. She looks back down and the LITTLE GIRL blinks back into existence. GWEN notices that she has mud and grass on her shoes. 

GWEN backs away, almost running into OWEN. 

OWEN  
Easy. Ianto's big talk got you spooked?

GWEN  
[pointing to the girl]  
She disappeared.

OWEN scowls at the girl.

OWEN  
She's back now.

GWEN  
She just -- winked out for a moment.

OWEN pulls her back towards TOSH, who is leaning in a corner, holding up the comms.

TOSH  
I've managed to get a three-way link. They're not designed to go direct. 

OWEN  
Sounds like some girls I know.

GWEN  
Can you please be serious for a moment? That girl just disappeared!

OWEN  
Yeah, and then she came back, so we have bigger worries right now!

TOSH  
Gwen. Here. This one links the other two. Anything anyone says in either comm, you'll hear it, but they can only hear you. You'll have to relay. Has Ianto come back yet?

GWEN  
Not yet. 

OWEN  
[putting in one of the comms]  
Malingering. 

GWEN puts the comm in her ear. OWEN touches his. 

OWEN  
Hear me okay?

GWEN touches hers, and after a big-eyed moment, pulls it out again. 

TOSH  
Feedback?

GWEN  
Music.

TOSH  
What?

GWEN  
I heard music. Like a -- an organ, or one of those crank-boxes. 

TOSH  
A hurdy-gurdy.

GWEN  
I think maybe -- 

GWEN is suddenly cut off as she seems to flicker; she reaches out to grab OWEN and steady herself, but her hand passes through him. TOSH tries to grasp her but fails, and GWEN vanishes.

Her comm, which she'd been holding in her hand, falls to the carpet.

EXT - NIGHT - 1920s - JACK'S TRAVELING SHOW - BACKSTAGE

JACK is working on his wrist-strap, muttering to himself. 

JACK  
Rift activity -- that can't...what?

He hears a noise and looks up; there is a shimmer in the air. 

JACK  
 _What?_

GWEN materialises under his eyes, staggers forward slightly in surprise, hand still outstretched, and then looks around her.

GWEN  
What...?

JACK takes a cautious step forward, apparently scanning her with his wrist-strap. GWEN peers at him.

GWEN  
Jack...?

JACK freezes, stunned. 

INT - CINEMA - HALLWAY

IANTO stands at the far end of the hallway, looking out towards the lobby. It is still dark, though light from the lobby spills in at the far end. He takes a deep breath, squares his shoulders, and starts to walk. It is a long trip, seemingly endless, but at the far end he begins to make out the image of people moving, and sees OWEN and TOSH with their heads together, talking urgently. 

IANTO smiles, relieved, and steps forward. There is a fizzling noise, and the barest hint of hurdy-gurdy.

EXT - NIGHT - 1920s - JACK'S TOURING SHOW

Image of the MAN WITH THE MOVIE CAMERA, filming an act onstage; pull back to

EXT - BACKSTAGE

JACK and GWEN are still staring at each other.

JACK  
How do you know my name?

GWEN  
Where are we?

JACK steps forward.

JACK  
Are you a Night Traveler?

GWEN  
A what?

JACK  
Do you know when you are?

GWEN  
 _When_ I am? 

EXT - TOURING SHOW

IANTO appears in the middle of the crowd, looking around wildly. He takes in his situation and turns, looking directly at the MAN WITH THE MOVIE CAMERA. The MAN leans back and makes a waving motion. IANTO turns to look another direction and sees GWEN. He runs.

EXT - BACKSTAGE

JACK  
This is 1922. Who are you?

GWEN  
But I was just...

She is obviously not handling this well. Her face hardens.

GWEN  
You're not Jack.

JACK  
Not at the moment. Right now I'm Tom. I think you've slipped through a rift.

GWEN  
Well, that's all I bloody need.

EXT - TOURING SHOW

The man with the movie camera follows IANTO, catching a moment on film where he runs between the tents. 

EXT - BACKSTAGE

IANTO  
Gwen!

GWEN  
[turning]  
Ianto?

IANTO  
Jack?

JACK  
Tom, actually. 

IANTO  
 _Tom?_

JACK  
You must be Ianto. 

EXT - TOURING SHOW - THROUGH THE CAMERA

A view through the camera lense as IANTO, rather desperate, hugs GWEN. 

GWEN  
He says we've traveled in time.

JACK  
I need to know when you're from. Who you are. I might be able to help get you back. There are -- rifts opening -- 

JACK stops talking as they seem to disappear. He calls after them.

JACK  
[almost desperate]  
I need to know if you're the Night Travelers!

No reply; they are gone.

JACK  
Dammit!

He begins working on his wrist-strap again, starting when the RINGMASTER grabs him.

RINGMASTER  
Come on, Lazarus, you're next. 

INT - CINEMA LOBBY

IANTO and GWEN appear again, still holding onto each other. They look up; OWEN and TOSH are staring. So are a few others.

OWEN  
About bloody time. What the hell's going on?

GWEN  
Owen, listen. We saw Jack. The other Jack. We went into the film.

IANTO  
Or back in time? 

GWEN  
Yeah -- maybe. We saw Jack, but not our Jack. He was in the costume, from the film. He said there are rifts opening all over. He asked me something about the Night Travelers. Do you know what that is?

TOSH and OWEN both look blank. IANTO shakes his head. 

TOSH  
Rifts opening in the cinema? Little ones? Enough to pull someone through -- like before.

GWEN  
But the cinema itself....it's like it's been pulled out of time.

TOSH  
Wedged between times. 

TOSH makes a face of complete surprise. The others focus in.

TOSH  
What if somehow the film caused some kind of...feedback loop? Stranding the cinema outside of time. It's trying to crack through -- 

IANTO  
But it's going in the wrong direction.

TOSH  
Temporal confusion.

GWEN  
I know how it feels.

OWEN  
Then...

They all look at the entry to the theatre. 

GWEN  
We've got to watch the rest of the film. Play it, at least.

OWEN  
And what if we wind up back then? Cinema full of people, four of us, all stranded in some carnival somewhere back in time.

IANTO  
But Jack's there.

TOSH  
So?

IANTO  
Better stuck in the wrong time with Jack, than anywhere else without him.

GWEN  
[gesturing to the audience]  
What about all them?

OWEN  
Good odds, we put the film back on, they'll file in like lambs.

TOSH  
Yeah, to the _slaughter_.

OWEN  
We've got to get out one way or another. 

IANTO  
Right. I'll see if I can get the projector going again. 

TOSH  
I'll come with you.  
[To GWEN and OWEN]  
Don't look at the screen. 

GWEN and OWEN watch them go, uneasily. 

INT - CINEMA - PROJECTION BOOTH

IANTO  
Ever worked one of these before?

TOSH  
Never met a machine I couldn't work.

IANTO  
Lucky machines. 

IANTO begins re-threading an off-kilter line of film.

TOSH  
Did you really see Jack?

IANTO  
Large as life. Well. Large as larger-than-life. 

TOSH  
[laughs a little]  
How did he look?

IANTO  
Strange. You don't think of Jack as the circus-sideshow type. He looked a bit...sort of lost, really.

TOSH  
Never see Jack looking lost.

IANTO  
That's what was so strange.

TOSH pulls something and there's a slight click; the film slowly begins to advance again. They both look away.

INT - CINEMA - LOBBY

GWEN and OWEN are leaning in the doors, looking away from the film; a blurry vision of it is projected in the mirrored front doors of the cinema. They watch, occasionally looking at each other; after a moment their faces go slack and blank. In the reflection, IANTO comes into the central line of sight, looks directly at the camera, and then runs off. 

INT - CINEMA - PROJECTION BOOTH

TOSH is still fiddling with the tape-speed mechanism.

TOSH  
Right -- got it! These are wonderful really, all gears and...

She trails off, realising she is alone. IANTO has disappeared again. 

EXT - NIGHT - 1920s - JACK'S TRAVELING SHOW

JACK, what looks like blood spattered on his uniform but looking no worse for wear, is coming offstage to thunderous applause. He immediately strips off the uniform-shirt and an undershirt and pulls off a fake blood-pack; he shrugs into a clean shirt and ducks behind the dressing tent, working again on his wrist-strap. 

We see displays and readouts projecting from the device; a miniature image of the camp, with small crackles of light here and there. He watches as one of the crackles enlarges and flashes outward; he turns and sees IANTO standing nearby. 

JACK  
We must stop meeting like this.

IANTO  
[resigned]  
I can only hope. 

JACK  
That's not very nice. Stick around this time. 

JACK glances down at his strap and his eyes widen.

JACK  
Take two steps to your left.

IANTO obediently steps.

JACK  
Nice to see a man who can take orders. 

Behind them, the sounds of the touring show are slowly muting; neither of them seem to notice. 

JACK  
I'm looking for the Night Travelers. All I want to do is talk. 

IANTO  
What are the Night Travelers?

JACK  
You aren't one?

IANTO  
No. I've slipped through -- like you said. 

A flare of light illuminates JACK's face; he glances down.

JACK  
Come towards me slowly.

IANTO moves forward. JACK takes his arm and pulls him sharply; behind them a single leaflet falls to the ground. They both look at it suspiciously. It is for the ELECTRO, from 2008.

JACK  
Let's get out of here.

IANTO  
[as he follows JACK away from the tent]  
He never changes.

EXT - NIGHT - FIELD

JACK, apparently feeling they're safely away, drops down into the grass. IANTO joines him warily. JACK takes out a pack of cigarettes and lights one. IANTO stares at him.

JACK  
Want one?

IANTO  
No. Thanks.

JACK flicks the lighter shut and shoves it in a pocket. 

JACK  
How much can you tell me without messing up the time stream?

IANTO  
I'm not sure. What's the year?

JACK  
1922\. We're in Great Britain -- Cardiff, specifically. Outside of it, actually. 

He narrows his eyes at IANTO.

JACK  
[guessing IANTO's date of origin]  
1950.

IANTO  
Cold.

JACK  
Can't win them all. 2240.

IANTO  
Colder.

JACK  
I notice you haven't asked me how I'm taking all this so calmly.

IANTO  
No, I haven't.

JACK  
How much do you know about me?

IANTO looks at him. He might be smiling a little. JACK raises his eyebrows. 

IANTO  
I know you can't die. 

JACK  
Tom Lazarus, The Man Who Cannot Die.

IANTO  
You can't die, though. Ever.

JACK sobers.

IANTO  
[changing the subject]  
I'm coming from Cardiff too. We're stuck. The building we're in slipped somehow. Right out of time. We think -- 

JACK  
You and the brunette. She's cute, by the way.

IANTO  
[sharply]  
She's taken.

JACK  
[managing to put every possible filthy meaning into 'taken']  
And you? Are you taken?

IANTO  
Yes.

JACK  
[disappointed]  
Girlfriend back home?

IANTO  
Boyfriend, actually.

JACK looks interested. IANTO realises he may have spoken out of turn, and tries to cover it.

IANTO  
The point is, we think the film caused it somehow. It seems to -- 

JACK  
\-- hypnotise people.

IANTO  
How did you...?

JACK  
Ianto. Nice name. How'd you like to hear a story?

He leans back, settling in.

JACK  
The Night Travelers come in the dark. They never stay anywhere long. They leave devastation where they go -- insanity, death...I'm trying to find them. To stop them. It shouldn't be this hard. Where they go, people seem to just gravitate to them. 

EXT - TOURING SHOW

The performers onstage are giving a show, but the audience is no longer engaged; they are staring, listless, only a few even moving anymore. 

JACK V.O.  
They draw in a crowd, and they leave bodies behind. The ones that survive never recover. They're just shells. 

EXT - FIELD

JACK  
I only want to stop them. 

IANTO  
How?

JACK  
If I knew, I wouldn't be looking. And it's happening -- where you are, too.

IANTO  
My friends are there. I have to go back -- 

JACK  
Wait.  
[He studies his strap.]  
I think we should go back. Hold onto my arm. If I move, you move. 

IANTO  
But I have to -- 

JACK  
Do as I say.

IANTO stares at him. JACK stares back. IANTO takes his arm and follows close. JACK has a slightly smug grin on his face. 

EXT - TRAVELING SHOW

JACK and IANTO peer around the curtain. JACK watches the audience. 

JACK  
But this is my show. We're not...

He pauses. Realisation sets in.

IANTO  
The Night Travelers are every show, aren't they. 

JACK  
They take whatever's passing along. There's got to be something driving it. Record them on film...

JACK points to the man with the movie camera. The man's face is slack, but the camera is still recording.

IANTO  
And they possess the film, too.

JACK  
That's what kicked you out of time.  
[to himself]  
What's causing it?  
[to IANTO]  
You do have to go back. If you destroy the film and I destroy them here, it should push you back into your time. Whenever that is. 

He turns; IANTO is very close, and the two of them look at each other for a long moment. 

JACK  
You know me, don't you.

IANTO  
In a different time. Maybe a better time. 

JACK  
Better?

IANTO  
For you. There aren't quite so many shadows in your eyes.

They hold a look. JACK's strap flares.

JACK  
Go. Ten feet, straight ahead. Go destroy the film and -- 

He breaks off as IANTO kisses him; grips the back of his head, while IANTO's hands slide down to his waist. There is an ulterior motive here; as they kiss, IANTO slips his hand into JACK's pocket and nips out his lighter. JACK does not appear to notice.

IANTO  
[into the kiss]  
Remember me.

He turns and runs, straight ahead, and disappears. 

INT - CINEMA

IANTO emerges, running, into the audience; he stops and immediately closes his eyes to avoid seeing the image on the screen. The music is playing, however, and he sways a little. Underneath it, we can hear voices. IANTO turns, looking away from the screen, and opens his eyes.

INT - CINEMA - LONG SHOT

The audience is visible, and no longer entranced; some are gibbering, some chanting, some rocking back and forth or clawing at their face. IANTO is horrified; he can't turn anywhere without seeing madness. He bolts up the aisle.

IANTO  
GWEN! OWEN! TOSH! Oh my god -- 

INT - CINEMA - LOBBY

IANTO stumbles out of the theatre and catches onto GWEN, but she shrugs him off. She is stiff and tears are running down her face. IANTO stares at her, then at OWEN; OWEN is muttering, his head twitching. IANTO bolts for the stairs but OWEN seems to come alive, his eyes flaring red, and he gives chase. 

INT - CINEMA - STAIRS

IANTO and OWEN struggle together all the way up the stairs, IANTO barely making it inside and slamming the door. Rhythmic thumping is heard on the other side. TOSH looks up at him and IANTO sighs, relieved.

TOSH  
Welcome home.

IANTO looks at her. She seems crazed; too-peaceful, but with wild eyes.

IANTO  
Tosh?

TOSH  
Hm?

IANTO  
It's the...

TOSH  
...I know. It's -- 

IANTO  
We have to...

He sways unsteadily. He is clearly slipping away. 

TOSH  
I'm trying, Ianto, but I don't...what was I...?

IANTO hears screaming. It is obviously in his own head. Screaming, and then fire. He staggers forward, almost accidentally popping the reel canister open. When he falls to his knees he looks up to find that he is no longer in the cinema -- now he is in Torchwood London, a hell in his own mind. Crashing, fire, and shouting everywhere. He closes his eyes and clenches his fists.

Blood rolls out from his clenched fingers and he opens his hand, staring down at the metal lighter. The hinge has cut his hand. Torchwood London seems to pull in on itself, as the projection booth snaps back into focus. He looks up; TOSH has disappeared. Her face appears briefly on the film, in the background, and then she reappears.

The door bursts inward and OWEN staggers in. 

IANTO  
Tosh, keep him back!

TOSH tries to shove OWEN away, and they struggle. IANTO flicks the lighter open and holds the lit flame under the reel; the film begins to bubble and tear, disappearing from the screen. The fire in his head returns and IANTO begins to laugh hysterically as he disappears. 

EXT - NIGHT - 1920s - TRAVELING SHOW

JACK is moving through the crowd, shaking people, trying to wake them up with zero luck. He spots IANTO, kneeling on the ground, and helps him to his feet.

JACK  
Did you do it?

IANTO looks stunned, but he manages to shake it off.

IANTO  
It's done.  
[gasping for air]  
You?

JACK  
You wouldn't be here. I don't know where it's coming from. I don't know how they're doing it. 

IANTO, staring over his shoulder, spots something hovering behind the RINGMASTER onstage.

IANTO  
Do you see that?

JACK turns. There is a creature perched on the RINGMASTER's back, claws holding him in a leering grin.

JACK  
That's not good.

IANTO  
Think bullets would stop it?

JACK  
If I had any.

IANTO  
If you had -- you're the Man Who Can't Die! You were shooting yourself in the chest!

JACK  
All fakery. They're blanks. If anyone actually saw me die -- it's not pleasant.

IANTO  
[slightly crazed]  
I have to do everything myself. 

IANTO reaches behind his hip and pulls out a gun; he sights, hesitates, and then fires twice. JACK watches, clearly somewhat impressed. The thing screams; they both stare at it in horror, and then there is a bright, very bright flash of light.

JACK  
Oh shi -- you have to go. NOW! GO!

He shoves IANTO forward, right into a huge gash of light that appears from nowhere. Screams from the crowd as IANTO stumbles into it and it blinds everyone; then it's gone, and there is silence. Everyone is staring at JACK.

JACK  
[to the crowd; making the best of a bad situation]  
Pretty impressive, isn't it?

Applause.

INT - CINEMA - LOBBY

IANTO emerges from the hallway to find OWEN sitting on the stairs, head between his knees, trying to recover. GWEN is shakily directing people towards the door, which has opened onto the quiet Cardiff night.

GWEN  
Sorry about that. No, temporary -- it's a carbon monoxide leak. Yes, we'll make sure you're all refunded. Make sure you go home and drink plenty of water. You'll feel better soon.

TOSH  
[running down the stairs]  
IANTO!

IANTO catches her as she trips, hugs her, and lets her go. He bends to grasp OWEN by the arm. OWEN groans.

OWEN  
Ianto, mate, I think I owe you ten quid.

IANTO  
Told you. Come on. 

OWEN  
Where?

IANTO  
[quite firmly]  
I need a drink.

INT - PUB - NIGHT

Team is sitting around a table, looking tired but triumphant. In the background, music; _Video Killed The Radio Star_.

OWEN  
Seriously. Never again.

GWEN  
Well. Not old films anyway.

OWEN  
No more cinema. That's why video piracy was invented.

TOSH  
To keep us from slipping through time and space and going mad?

OWEN  
Yes.  
[to IANTO]  
I blame you.

GWEN  
To Ianto's terrible taste in films.

OWEN  
Ianto's absolute crap taste in films.

TOSH  
Hear hear. 

They toast and finish their drinks, preparing to leave.

GWEN  
You reckon Jack will remember?

IANTO  
Dunno. Done now, anyway. We killed it. Whatever was...back then. It's gone.

TOSH  
Is it?

They all pause.

TOSH  
I mean...you said it's rare. But it wasn't the only copy. There's bound to be a few more floating around out there. Whatever it is might be dead, but it's still...in the film. Isn't it.

Uncomfortable looks all round. 

OWEN  
I'm going to go home. And try not to think about that.

GWEN  
Yep, me too. Ianto? Tosh?

TOSH  
Sorry. Yeah, I'll share a cab?

IANTO  
I...have an errand to run. I'll see you tomorrow.

INT - HUB - JACK'S OFFICE

JACK, apparently oblivious to all that has gone on that night, is bent over his desk, working. Sound of the roll door sliding away, the door cage opening.

JACK  
[without looking up]  
Ianto?

INT - HUB

IANTO  
[hanging up his fedora]  
Just me.

INT - JACK'S OFFICE

JACK  
How was the film?

IANTO approaches.

IANTO  
Educational.

JACK  
Boring?

IANTO  
No. I wouldn't say that.

JACK cuts his eyes to the side; IANTO's shoes have mud on them. He is about to look up when the lighter from before is gently placed on the desk, in his line of sight. 

IANTO  
Think that belongs to you.

JACK touches it, picks it up, studies it with puzzlement and surprise. He looks up sharply. IANTO is waiting, not moving.

JACK  
Thought I'd lost this.

IANTO  
Had to borrow it.

JACK  
Stopped smoking.

IANTO  
Nasty habit.

JACK  
Everything sorted out?

IANTO nods. JACK stands and circles the desk until they are facing each other.

IANTO  
Did you -- 

JACK  
I remembered.

IANTO  
And you waited. All those years.

JACK  
Well. A good lighter is hard to find.  
[beat]  
Boyfriend, huh?

IANTO  
If you -- 

JACK puts a finger on his lips. Smiles. Touches the same finger to his own.

IANTO  
[still visibly unsettled]  
When we met -- 

JACK  
I didn't hire you because I remembered you.

IANTO  
You didn't remember me.

JACK  
Eighty years is a long time. Faces blur a little after a while.

IANTO  
Yes.

JACK  
[smiles, a break in the tension]  
I remembered the suit, though. You do look good in a suit.

IANTO smiles too, and JACK kisses him. They back up against the desk, JACK pressed against it, facing a CCTV camera.

Pull back to see TOSH's workstation, the screen flicking through CCTV images. It lands on JACK and IANTO kissing; it lingers, and distant hurdy-gurdy music plays.

We see, through the screen, JACK raise his hand and tap something lightly on his wrist-strap. The screen goes dark. Snap to black.

Credits.


End file.
